Scott Rabehl has recently posted the new drum majors for the summer of 2010. They are J.D. Laskey, a junior trumpet player, Jensen Maiden, a senior flute player, and Mandy Haggen, a senior horn player. Around 15 people tried out for this position by sending in applications, but Rabehl feels he made the right decisions.
“Mr. Richter [the marching band music director] and I tried to think of who was doing the right thing all the time,” Rabehl says of how they chose. “Not just during rehearsals.”
A drum major conducts and commands a marching band, but they have to do so much more. They have to be able to stand in front of 150 people with confidence and authority, and be able to lead all those kids down the street. They need to demonstrate what Rabehl calls “with-it-ness,” meaning they can make decisions on the fly without needing to consult him every time.
They act basically like an assistant director during rehearsals, and have to model a good work ethic. The drum majors have to help Rabehl with paperwork before the season even starts, and he takes into consideration their opinions when he picks out music.
Rabehl also likes them to show “servant leadership,” which means they motivate others through the idea of helping. If something needs to be done, they do it, whether they want to or not.
In fact, the drum majors have to do so much that Rebahl had to add another to the list. Last summer, there were only two drum majors, Ashley Elsen and Faith Sandberg. Rabehl realized that it was too big of a job for two people, so he went back to previous years when they’d had three drum majors.
Besides possessing all the above qualities, the students have to be good visual performers and musicians. Make sure to head to the Buffalo parade this summer to see these three talented musicians in action.
“The thing I’m looking forward to most about being a drum major,” says Laskey, “is contributing to the band in a leadership form and having a blast.”
